Chapters 23-24

I would have liked to stay in the cover of the woods but we need to go into town. Not least for food. I’m worried about The Rats. Trash will want to get Olivia. A beautiful lady with a full purse is worth ransoming and he will stop at nothing and I mean nothing, to get the cash that her father owns. I push those thought to the back of my mind and try to smile. I don’t want Will to see that I’m scared. ‘Come on. Let’s go get some food.’‘We’re going to steal?’ Oliver sounds horrified. I’m so surprised that I stumble on a root.‘Damnit. Oliver don’t tell me that you’ve never stolen anything. You must have stolen something once like even... I don’t know. A tomato.’He shakes his head and frowns.‘Bloody Hell. Well there’s a first time for everything.’‘But it’s wrong to steal.’‘Look oliver. We take from the wealthy much less than they take from us.’ ‘What have we. They ever taken from us?’‘Oliver. They take our lives for a start. Not always directly, but they do. One example. They throw us into the mercy of The Rats and the backstreets where people die every day. Fever, murder, starvation, freezing. And then people like Her Ladyship just go around pointing there noses up and acting like we’re dirt. Those of us that aren’t orphans when we are thrown out soon become them. Look at me and Will. We had a mum, dad, a baby sister. We’re all that’s left

Chapter Twenty-FourScrap

‘Oy. Trash. Come here.’ Trash walks over to where I’m standing.‘Jesus Christ! God Scrap. I’m glad to have you!' I smile as he picks up the wallet left on the outside of a windowsill.

‘Scratch! Get the others and let’s go.’ Scratch rounds up Litter, Flea, Dump, Apple-core, Pocket-watch and Scramble.‘Let’s go.’ Have you finished the ransom letter?‘Sure have.’ I pull a neatly folded sheet of purple paper from my pocket.‘But we haven’t got Olivia yet Trash.’ Trash punches me and I shut up rubbing my bleeding cheek.‘I’ll get Lady Olivia. You see if I don’t.’Trash cocks his pistol and we leave.

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